Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-05-26
BACK FROM THE DEAD.


Ocean, near a group of tall cocoanut
trees, stood the twain, holding each
others hands, while the light OF the
rising moon lay like broad silvery
pathway atltwart the wilderness DIVA
tiers.
Waldron was q passenger, with his
father, aboard the American ship Tenn
pest, bound to the Sandwich Islands.
A month previously the vessel had
been so badly damaged in storm that
the captain was obliged to anchor OIL
the Navigator Islands for repairs.
Robert, wandering about one of the
isles, came upon small frame house
in clearing in the thicket. AS he had
lost his way he knocked at the door.
A melancholy looking elderly man
answered the summons, gave him the
information he required, and invited
him in.
There Robert first saw Ida Gray, the
old mans daughter.
He learned that the Island had been
Ida's dwelling place for six years, and
that her mother had died before she
came to it.
"Tell me what you mean, Ida," Rob-
ert repeated ,as her eyes filled with tears.
because can never desert papa,"
she sobbed.
"Then l will stay here" said the
young man. II will build house
here, and we will settle on the Island!
I could be contented anywhere with
you"
Ida frightened up at this.
"Go and talk with papa about it,"
she said.
Robert kissed her and then went TO
her father.
The latter, who had shown singular
emotion on seeing the youth, seemed
still more agitated when Robert asked
him for his daughter.
''NoW he cried, almost harshly.
"You, of all others, can never have my
child-at least not while live. 1t may
be selfish in me, but-but I could not
bear it-you of all others. 1t / were
dead you might take her and well
come"
That night when his daughter was
gone to bed and wss asleep Mr.. Gray
stole out of the house.
Swift was the current among the
rocks off a certain part of the island.
Mr.. Gray knew that he who plunged
deep in that place might never come
out again.
"AR," he muttered, "better death to
me at once than lifelong misery to my
child. He can never have her while
live. 1 could not bear to look upon his
face, as would often be obliged to do If
he were her husband, for they would
visit me, even though l never visited
them"
There was splash as he plunged into
the fatal current.
Robert Waldron, who had been as
yet unable to tear himself away from
the vicinity of the dwelling of his be-
loved, had seen Mr.. Gray go out upon
the point, near which he was seated In
the shadow ofa rock.
Now, as he made the plunge, the
youth who had been few yards off
dived after him.
Ere Mr.. Gray had gone deep enough
to be drawn into an underwater cavern
Waldron clutched him, and strove to
regai~ snrface with his burden. --.,.-.-
They arose together, and as they
were carried farther from land Mr..
Gray endeavored to release himself
from Roberts grasp. He was, how
ever, dragged ashore by the powerful
"Why did you save me?" cried the
old Captain, bitterly. "Had I died
you would have been able to have my
daughter. / told you you could make
her your wife when was dead"
Sand for that reason do you suppose
would stand by and see you perish
and not do my best to save you?" cried
Robert, shocked.
"There have been such cases." said
the Captain, gloomily.
"Ay,n answered Robert. "My own
father once was left to perish in that
"Your father?' cried Mr.. Gray, start
"Yes. Years ago he was seafaring
man-first officer aboard the Sunlight,
a merchant vessel. The captain and he
both loved one of the passengers, a
young lady who was going to the Indies
with her mother. During a gale one
night my father fell overheard. He
clutched rope, and the captain, by
merely stretching forth his ha nd,
might have saved him. But he only
stood and looked at him until sea
washed my father from his hold"
"Your father! Was he your father?"
cried Mr.. Gray, wildly. "And your
name Waldron? I knew he was a
widower and had a little son, but his
name was then Livingston"
Robert drew back In surprise.
A new light seemed to break upon
his mind
II am he who stood by and saw Liv-
ingston 60 down." continued Gray
"Yes, lam that wretch; and your re-
semblance to that drowned man has
often startled and panied me. That
was why would not have you wed my
daughter while I lived, as I would then
have been doomed to see your face at
times-your face, SO like that of the
man allowed to perish simply because
| was jealous of him and fancied that
Adele, the fair passenger that we loved,
favored him. But what means it? AS
L repeat, his name was Livingston. He
must then have sailed under different
name from his own"
"No," said Robert. "His full name
was Henry Livingston Waldron. 1t
pleased him for long time to drop the
'Waldron' and go by his second name"
"Well, then," continued Mr.. Gray,
"you behold before you the wretch who
allowed your father to perish. After
ward learned from the young lady
passenger whom | married that she
had never fAncied vour fathar-had